


Moderate Wake

by cowboykylux



Series: Zanna's Huxloliday 2017 Fics [5]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Armitage Hux Knows What He's Doing, Brief Mention of Taxidermy, Established Relationship, Evil Space Boyfriends, Fishing, Fluff, Kylo Ren is Cocky, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Seasickness, Shore Leave
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-21
Updated: 2017-07-21
Packaged: 2018-12-04 21:55:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11564118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cowboykylux/pseuds/cowboykylux
Summary: Armitage Hux has never seen the sun, and Kylo Ren has never seen the sea. They use an unscheduled weekend to remedy these situations and go on a very short shore leave. Things don't go as well as they had hoped.





	Moderate Wake

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the Huxlolidays prompt 'seasickness!' The fishing trip is completely based on a real experience I had fishing with my mom. Don't forget to take your Dramamine folks, your stomach will thank you.

Hux couldn’t remember the last time he saw sunlight reflected on water; if he thought very hard about it, he wasn’t sure he had _ever_ seen such a thing. Growing up on Arkanis, seeing the sun was such a rarity that schools shut down so the children could spend the day outside playing in the golden light.

He had seen the Arkanis sun only once, before he was whisked away by his father to live on star destroyers for the rest of his thirty-four years. He kept the memory with fondness, it had been thunder storming for the third day in a row and showed no sign of stopping. The rain didn’t stop, only lightened, as the clouds moved in a formation that just slightly gave the sun a chance to peek through. He had fallen off his bicycle that day, staring at it with such wonder before it disappeared back behind the clouds as quickly as it came.

So needless to say, seeing sunlight reflected on _water_ was nothing short of a religious experience.

A little while back, Kylo had suggested they spend their free weekend on a nearby summer planet and Hux all but jumped at the chance. The last time he had ever been off a star destroyer, let alone the _Finalizer,_ was to frequent _Starkiller,_ for both recreational and military occasions. The frozen planet had its charms but was no place for a vacation.

“I’ve been to this one before,” Kylo pointed to Sesid on the Galactic map exactly three weeks ago. “You sent me on a mission some years back to assess the remains of the military garrison from the days of the old Empire.” The mission had been a success, the garrison hadn’t ceased operation of the pharmaceutical tests they had begun before the Battle of Yavin, and the native species there had finally warmed up to Imperial presence.

“Did you like it?” He asked, already making a note of it in his datapad.

“The planet itself is beautiful, but I may be biased because I’m fond of oceans.” Kylo shrugged, embarrassed. Hux smiled, Kylo did indeed like oceans. He was obsessed with them as a matter of fact, of all the things that lurked beneath the waters. He was so obsessed with oceans that he wasn’t sure Kylo had ever really been near one.

“I organized shore leave last time, it’s only fair you get your turn.” Hux told him, making Kylo’s face light up like the nebulae they frequently passed.

“You won’t regret it Hux, I promise. You’re going to love Sesid.” Kylo reminded him very much of a puppy, eager to please and to show Hux his favorite things; Hux was all too happy to indulge him.

And by the stars love Sesid, Hux did. They landed on an enormous lily pad that floated atop the ocean waters as per their landing instructions, and Hux had been floored. He had never seen a planet’s resources used in such a way. From space, it looked like a flecked marble, large volcanic islands peppering the surface, but up close the colors were so vibrant that Hux could see them through his very tinted sunglasses.

“Ky, look at the colors!” Hux had gasped on their first day, arm looping around his Knight’s, pulling him out of the speeder and onto the black sand beaches. Kylo had apparently reserved one of these volcanic islands for the day so they could explore the popular tourist destination in peace. “The shells look like stars.”

“Would you like to go on a hike?” Kylo asked, leaning down to kiss his temple.

The beach rose into a lush green covered volcano that Kylo had to assure Hux repeatedly was dormant. Even still, he eyed the mass of rock and pinched his brows together.

“You didn’t tell me to pack for a hike.” He said, making Kylo grin. He had _absolutely_ made a note of telling Hux to pack good shoes for climbing, but it seemed his General had elected to ignore it.

“I could carry you.” He offered, hoisting Hux up into the air, twirling him around. Hux laughed with abandon, his hair wild when he beat his small fist on Kylo’s huge shoulder to make him put him down.

“No thank you, I’ve seen how you move through the jungle, I don’t need branches flying my way.” Hux pretended to hold a lightsaber, slicing through air.

“Okay then,” He mused, going to his plan B. “How about fishing?”

“Fishing?” Hux asked with wide eyes. He hadn’t gone fishing since he was a child, they were some of the only fond memories he had of being with his father as a boy.

“Yeah, there’s a commercial fisherman that I’ve been told is very good. He always makes sure the people on his boat catch something.” Kylo walked with him along the shore, picking up the stark white seashells and handing the prettiest ones to Hux who pocketed them with a radiant smile.

“He can’t possibly claim that.” Hux huffed, the probabilities of everyone managing to get something on the line every time were running through his head.

“I think he just knows the patterns the fish swim throughout the day.” Kylo smiled fondly at the way Hux had to analyze everything.

“We’ll go tomorrow, I want to stay on the beach today.” He pulled Kylo into the foam where the ocean reached the sea and kissed his Knight with salty lips.  

“Yes sir.” Kylo replied with mock seriousness, before tackling him to the sand and watching as wave foam rushed around his lover, laughing like he didn’t have to run a war.

 

And that was how they found themselves standing on the pier just after sunrise, waiting to dock a commercial fisherman’s boat, the sun illuminating the waves in glittering diamonds. Hux was mesmerized by the patterns they formed from the currents of the waves. The sparkles danced and danced, the brightness burning into Hux’s eyelids. When he looked away, he could still see spots.

“Good morning!” A kind, if too loud, voice called from the other end of the pier.

An older Draedan gentleman waved to them, carrying a bucket in each of his webbed hands. He wore a pair of glasses in front of his red eyes and though his teeth were pointed, he smiled brightly.

“Good morning!” A few others answered, chipper and excited.

Being a vacation planet, Sesid held a mix of people, many of whom had decided to come out onto the fishing boats today. Hux didn’t mind, sometimes it was nice to blend in and get away with being a tourist like everyone else. He and Kylo were both pretty much unrecognizable in their civvies, and Hux knew he looked ludicrous but he didn’t care – the smile on his lover’s face when he emerged from the ‘fresher wearing a matching floral shirt to Kylo’s own was worth it.

“Before we board the boat, I brought along some pills that will help with anyone who has motion sickness. Please don’t be shy to take one if you think you’ll need it!” The kind man held up a white bottle of pills.

About half the people waiting to board the ship took some, Hux included. He recognized it as the Galactic Standard brand, and happily swallowed it down knowing it would work. Kylo remained where he was, making Hux frown.

“Aren’t you going to take one?” He asked, putting a hand on his hip. “The flag is yellow, that means moderate wake and surf conditions.” He pointed to a small yellow scrap of fabric that was tied around the pier.

“Hux I spend most of my free time in my TIE, I don’t get motion sickness. Plus, I have the force.” Kylo waved it off like it was no big deal. Hux was skeptical – he may have been Master of the Knights of Ren, but he was _human_ for kriffsake. Space ships had engines built to keep them steady, boats like the one they were about to embark on had no such technology.

“If you get sick I’m going to be furious.” Hux rolled his eyes, begging for the universe to knock some sense into the man he decided to bind himself to.

“Get on the boat, General.” Kylo held a hand out for Hux and helped him step from the pier. It was going to be a good day, he was sure of it.

 

* * *

 

 Kylo. Was. Miserable.

He was laying on his side staring at the horizon trying to will himself to breathe evenly, cursing the ocean.

If ever asked, he would maintain that it was the ship’s fault, there must have been a faulty stabilizer or _something_. While Hux was busy sitting on his little wooden stool, casting his line out deep into the dark blue waters below them, Kylo hid away from onlookers and tried not to succumb to being ill.

Thankfully, he wasn’t the only one. At least four other people had their torsos hanging over the railings, and if Kylo were alone, or at least without Hux, he would join them. As it were, he had told Hux he needed to use the restroom, and had been hiding on a padded bench instead ever since.

If he waited much longer, Hux would get suspicious, or even worse – worried. He could hear him chatting with the people sitting to his left and right, and tried to focus on the sound of his voice. Where he had once thought it to be cold and calculated, he now took pride in memorizing the patterns of speech and the way his mouth formed over certain vowels or consonants with his hint of an Arkanis accent.

“Oh, sir I think you’ve got a bite!” The Twi’lek woman to his right eagerly said, and Kylo could hear the scuffle of people abandoning their stools and fishing poles to go watch Hux.

It _would_ be Hux to hook a fish, Kylo thought. He groaned, wishing he could just get off the damn bench and support his partner.

“Ky!” Hux called, aiming his voice toward the single bathroom. “Ky, you’ve got to come see this!” He was laughing, glee clear in his voice.

Kylo forced himself upright, gripping the railing of the boat to steady himself. As soon as he did that, a particularly strong current rocked the boat, causing Kylo to nearly fall over the side and for Hux to reel a monstrously large fish out of the water. It flopped on the deck as it struggled, its heavy body smacking on the wood.

The thing was enormous. It must have been about eighty inches long from bill to tailfin. It had bright blue ridges along its back and a silver belly, one that Hux was trying to get his arms around.

“Love, I could really use your help here,” Hux still thought he was in the bathroom, if his thoughts were to be believed. His voice had a slight edge of panic to it, and if the smacking sound were anything to go by, Hux was probably trying to wrangle the damn thing. Kylo took a deep breath, and emerged from his little hiding spot. He hoped the evidence of his seasickness weren’t too apparent, but he knew that Hux would be able to see right through any façade.

“Will you be releasing it?” A child called, her eyes big.

“What sort of fish is it?” The child’s father asked, opening a pamphlet on the planet’s native flora and fauna.

“Kriff that thing is huge!” A portly Devaronian man cursed jovially, causing the child’s father to cover her ears.

Kylo only half paid attention to what was going on around them, he was too occupied with watching Hux sit on top of the flailing fish and kill it, leaving it intact enough to be mounted on their wall.

“Darling can we keep it? I’d like it for the office.” He asked, excitement high on his cheeks. He was covered in water, and smelled like the ocean, his hair whipped from the wind and spray of the sea. The sun glinted off a few scales that had gone flying onto his arms in wrestling with the fish.

“Anything you want.” He smiled, praying he didn’t get sick right on the desk. The Force had at least heard that plea, and he was able to keep down his lunch. Hux raised an eyebrow at the obvious shift in tone of his voice.

“Let’s get this sucker on some ice!” The Draedan who owned the boat whistled, and Hux gave Kylo an expectant look.

_You don’t expect this old man to do it himself,_ Hux thought, purposely loud so that Kylo could hear.

_You are cruel._ Kylo gave him a pained whine in response, but with a raised eyebrow from the General, he took over the responsibility of transporting the fish over to the coolers that were kept for this very reason.

 

As soon as they returned to the _Finalizer_ later that day, Hux forced a pill, and cup after cup of water into Kylo’s hands. He downed the small tablet and filtered water eagerly and immediately jumped into the shower of their ‘fresher, turning the water as cold as possible. He scrubbed the sweat and salt water off his exposed skin and leaned against the cool tile, grateful for the ship’s stabilizers.

“How are you feeling?” Hux asked as soon as he heard the water stop. He had gone to the office while Kylo showered, hanging the fish on his wall. Kylo had never been one for taxidermy, but if it made Hux happy then he was happy.

“I’m sorry I ruined the fishing trip.” He sighed, not giving a real answer to his question and leaning in the doorway of their shared quarters. He didn’t bother putting on pajamas, instead just tying the towel around his hips.

“You ruined nothing. I feel terrible, I should have pushed harder for you to take the equilibrium medicine.” Hux said, patting the covers next to him. Kylo happily discarded the towel and snuggled in close. Their quarters were just close enough to the engines that they could hear a faint hum. The hum was initially distracting when Kylo first came aboard, but now it was simply white noise.

“I’ve never been on a fishing boat before, I thought I could handle it.” Kylo smiled sheepishly, embarrassed at how he very much did not handle it.

“What, your parents only ever took you on luxury cruises?” Hux teased, tugging on a piece of wet hair. Hux normally loathed when Kylo got into bed after a shower and soaked through his pillowcases, but Kylo could feel in his thoughts how badly he felt about Kylo being sick. The urge for an ‘ _I told you so_ ’ was very strong, so strong in fact Kylo was surprised Hux hadn’t already said it.

“Yes, as a matter of fact.” He closed his eyes and found peace in his calm inner ear, no longer disoriented from the ocean.

“Spoiled brat.” Hux pulled him close, kissing the side of his nose. It was horribly endearing, and Kylo thought that if getting seasick would yield this result, he wouldn’t mind taking Hux fishing more often.

“You love me.” Kylo grinned, feeling the warmth pulsing from Hux’s chest.

“Yes. Yes I do.” He sighed, tucking his head under Kylo’s strong chin.

_Even if you are a stubborn pain in my arse._ Hux thought affectionately, making Kylo laugh louder than the crashing waves on the beach.

**Author's Note:**

> Oh Kylo I feel your pain buddy!   
> Thank you so much for taking the time to read this short little fic, I hope you enjoyed!  
> If you'd like to chat with me about anything, you can find me on tumblr at my brand new kylux/starwars blog, @cowboykylux xxxx


End file.
